Darning device.



G. F. HEISS.

DARNING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,. 1914.

7 Witnesses 2'2 nven 6T WMAXW. by

Attorn ey GUSTAFF r. HEISS, or EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

DARNING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed .Tune 8, 1914. Serial No. 843,652.

To all whom it may concern: I

-Be it known that I, GusTArr F. Hniss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Everett, in the county of Snohomish and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Darning Devices, of which the following is a specifica tion.

Myinvention relates to devices'designed to facilitate darning, particularly of knit goods, and I have, therefore, called it a darning device.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which may be applied to stockings or any other knit goods which require darning or, infact, it may be applied with equal benefit to woven fabrics if it be desired to darn these. 1

My invention comprises in particular the combinations and parts defined by the claim appended'hereto. T

In the accompanying drawings 1- have shown my device in the form now preferred by me.

Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, elevation and plan of my device in use.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the bar which performs the function of a heddle in a loom, that is, it alternately raises and lowers the threads in two sets, whereby each alternate thread is up while the others are down.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of the bar shown in Fig. 8.

My invention consists of two parts, a curved board or plate 1, and the transversely channeled bar 2. The function of the plate 1 is simply to hold the article being darned in convenient condition and position for the darning operation and for the use of bar 2. The shape and character of this supporting member is in a measure immaterial, so long as it is capable of being applied to hold the work and holds the same in convenient position. The form which I' prefer as best meeting these conditions is that shown, which consists of a thin rectangular plate which is bent or warped something after the nature of a rocker.

The work to be darned, 3, is secured to this plate, so that the part thereof upon which the patch 7 is to be placed, is slightly stretched over the convex side of the board. The first step in darning, after the work has been secured on the board, is to lay a series of warp threads 4:, from one edge of the darn across the space to be repaired, and at a certain distance beyond the same. These warp threads are secured in the work, only at their ends. After these threads have been thus secured, the bar 2 is inserted beneath them, or between them andthe work to be darned. i

The bar 2 is shown as round in cross section,.which I deem to be the most convenient shape, although not the only cross sectional shape which may be used. This bar has two series of transversely extending chan nels 20, those channels which are in each set occupying the same angular position, while the channels composing the two sets occupy difi'erent angular positions, as is indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. I prefer also that these channels have a grooved extension 22 from one end thereof, of about such depth as .would form a fairly good seat for the warp threads. These extension grooves are from I opposite 'endsofthe channels inv the different sets. One end of this bar projects to form a handle 21, by which it may be readily manipulated.

When the bar is placed beneath the warp threads it is turned so as to bring one of these sets of channels upwardly, and the extension grooves 22 of the other set also upwardly. The warp threads are then placed so that alternate threads drop into the channels 20 which are upward, while the other threads drop into the slight grooves 22. Those threads which occupy the channels 20, are thus supported at a lower level than those which are in the grooves 22, thus making. an opening, as a shed in weaving, through which a darning needle 6 may be passed, to thereby lay the filling thread 5 in place. This may be clearly seen on inspection of Fig. 1.

After a thread has been thus placed through the warp threads. the bar 2 is turned so as to bring the other set of channels 20 upward. This permits the set of threads which were before supported in the grooves 22 in the uppermost position, to drop into their corresponding channels 20, which now places them in the lowermost position. The same turn of the bar raises the threads which were formerly in the lowermost position, to the uppermost position, where they will lie in their corresponding grooves 22. This reverses the position of the two sets of warp threads, and another filling thread is passed between them. The filling thread should be pa d Patented Sept. 3, 1918.v

through a portion of the material of the article being darned, at each side ofthe patch for each time it is passed between the warp threads, thus securing these edges of,

the patch to the article being darned. As each section of the tiller thread is placed in position between the warp threads, it should be forced back between these threads so as to compact the work. This may be done by inserting the needle back of the thread just placed and in that way pushing the thread back to a firm seat.

The above operation is continued until the patch has been made to cover the hole. There may remain a short space at the last which may have to be finished in the o1'di nary manner after the removal of the bar 2, or theseprojecting ends which may have been left of considerable length, may be clipped and then inserted through the body of the material being'darned, by first threading them in a needle, or this edge may be secured in any other suitable manner.

It will be noticed that the grooves 22 do not extend entirely around the bar, but there is a space at the baclcwhichis smooth for the entire length. This is to facilitate the insertion and removal of the bar between the work and the warp threads. The bar is inserted with this smooth port-ion uppermost, and then turned into operative position.

Iclann as my lIlVGIli'lOD The method of darnmg comprising the following steps, namely: Stretching the,

article to be darned over a suitable holder and securing 1t thereto in proper position; laying warp-threads from the edge of the darn across the space to be darned by' passfilling thread back and forth throughthe open shed and connecting it to the fabric at each side of thewarp until the woof-is completed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GUSTAFF F. HEISS. lVitnesses SGHUYLER DURYEE, PERCY GARDINER.

Copies: of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner otilatents, Washingten, D. G. 

